"Final Fantasy XV" Windows Edition is set to unlock on March 6, at 12 p.m. EST. However, while "Final Fantasy" fans were patiently waiting for the arrival of the RPG to the PC, hackers have already cracked the game. ( Square Enix )

The Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition release date is finally here, with the PC version of the acclaimed RPG to launch on March 6.

However, as players are just starting to prepare for Final Fantasy XV on the PC, hackers have already cracked the game days before its official release.

'Final Fantasy XV' Windows Edition Finally Arrives

Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition, which will contain all previously released DLC and expansions for the RPG, will unlock on March 6 at 12 p.m. EST, or 9 a.m. PST. The game is available for purchase through Steam, Origin, and the Microsoft Store.

Excited PC gamers are recommended to already start preloading Final Fantasy XV due to its massive file size. For those who are planning to run the RPG at 720p or 1080p, storage space of 100 GB is required, even more for those looking to experience the game at 4K or 8K.

For PC owners who are unsure if their machine would be able to run the game properly, Square Enix previously released a Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition benchmark tool.

'Final Fantasy XV' PC Crack

While some Final Fantasy fans were patiently waiting for the arrival of the latest entry in the RPG franchise to the PC, hackers were busy with something else. Apparently, a group was able to crack Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition a few days before the game's official launch.

Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition contains the Denuvo anti-temper technology to prevent piracy, but 3DM, a hacking group based in China, exploited the Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition demo. The hackers acquired an unencrypted version of the whole game that was uploaded by Origin and used the demo file to crack it.

According to reports, players have reached as far as chapter 9 in the cracked Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition. Some players, however, are claiming that the new DLC for the game's chapter 14 is not playable.

Origin's oversight in releasing a preload for the game without encryption is bad news for Square Enix. Origin has now updated the Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition preload files with encryption, but the crack is still available through pirated downloads.

One of the good news surrounding the mishap, however, is that gamers can test the cracked version of the Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition and the launch version of the RPG that comes with Denuvo protection. This should confirm whether the anti-piracy technology affects a game's performance, which was one of the major issues with Assassin's Creed: Origins.